Training-type roller skate



NOV. 29, 1955 s 5 DAY 2,725,238

TRAINING-TYPE ROLLER SKATE Filed Jan. 29, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E E 7 J426 7? /4 fflV/ZLOI'.

Samuel ,5. Dg/

y: lwz. qL m Nov. 29, 1955 s. 5. DAY I 2,725,238

TRAINING-TYPE ROLLER SKATE Filed Jan. 29, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Samuel512% United States Patent TRAINING-TYPE ROLLER SKATE Samuel S. Day, NewHaven, Conn.

Application January 29, 1952, Serial No. 263,730

4 Claims. (Cl. 280-112) This invention relates to roller skates ingeneral, and to safety-type roller skates in particular.

It is an object of the present invention to permit youngsters heretoforeconsidered too young for the hazardous pastime of roller skating toindulge in this fascinating pastime with the full consent of theirelders, by providing safety-type roller skates on which these youngstersmay realistically imitate experienced older youngsters performing onnormal free-wheeling roller skates, without being exposed to thewell-known hazards .involved in riding the latter.

It is another object of the present invention to provide safety-typeroller skates on which youngsters of all ages with little or noexperience on normal roller skates may learn to skate naturally, whilebeing gradually exposed to the hazards from free-wheeling rollers asthey gain more and more experience in and control over riding rollerskates. I

A further object of the present invention is to have provisions onroller skates forbraking the front wheels or the back wheels, or both,at all times and especially when the skates are ridden in the customarymanner, thereby to protect the rider, either fully or at least in part,from the hazards involved in riding free-wheeling roller skates.

Another object of the present invention is to provide :on roller skateseither for the front wheels or the back wheels, or both, a brake whichis adjustable for the application of a variable braking force to thesewheels, thereby to adapt the instant roller skates for trainingyoungsters safely through progressive stages in the correct use ofconventional roller skates.

It is a further object of the present invention to have theaforementioned brake provisions in the form of removable accessories forconventional roller skates, thereby permitting not only their separatepurchase and ready application to conventional roller skates of allmakes, but also their removal from the skates for the conventional useof the latter by youngsters who have the confidence and experience toride them.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to have theaforementioned brake provisions of exceedingly simple structure so thatthey readily lend themselves to efficient and inexpensive massproduction, and to devise these brake provisions so that they lendthemselves to facile installation on and removal from conventionalroller skates of all makes and sizes, as well as to facile adjustmentfor varying their braking force on the wheels of roller skates on whichtheyare installed.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the artfrom the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out thepresent invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a roller skate embodying the presentinvention;

2,725,238 Patented Nov. 29, 1955 of Fig. 1, the dot-and-dash linesoutlining the parts of the roller skate above the section line in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is afragmentary side elevation of a roller skate embodying the presentinvention in a modified manner;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing certain parts of theroller skate in section;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of certain brake provisions shown on theroller skate of Figs. 4 and 5;

ICC

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of a roller skate embodying thepresent invention in a further modified manner; and

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 7. 7

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3thereof, the reference numeral 10 designates a roller skate having thecustomary foot rest 12 and front and rear wheels or rollers 14 and 16,respectively. The foot rest 12 consists of the usual telescoping toe andheel plates 18 and 20, respectively, which may be locked inlongitudinally adjusted positions by bolts 22.

The front and rear wheels 14 and 16 are rotatably mounted, usuallythrough intermediation of ballbearings, on fixed axles 24 inconventional front and rear mounts 26 and 28, respectively, which areidentical in construction, though oppositely inclined to the foot rest12 (Fig. 1). The conventional construction of a rear mount for the rearwheels is shown in Fig. 2, as well as on the skate in Fig. 5 in whichthe invention is embodied in a modified manner described hereinafter.This rear mount 28 comprises a generally U-shaped bracket 30 dependingFig. 2 is' a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 with itsopposite legs 32 from the heel plate 20, and having on the oppositesides of its connecting yoke or base portion 34 depending flanges 36 and38 which straddle the opposite legs 40 and 42, respectively, of anotherU-shaped bracket 44. The bracket 44 has a portion of its connecting yokeor base 46 formed to provide a socket 48 for the press-fitted receptionof the rear axle 24 on which the rear wheels 16 are rotatably mounted.Received inthe bracket 44, and interposed between the base 46 of thelatter and the base 34 of the bracket 30, is a rubber pad 50 which lendsto the wheel mount shockabsorbing qualities. The several parts 30, 44and 50 of the wheel mount 28 are held in their assembled relation by alock pin 52.

The roller skate described so far may be conventional in every respect,and forms no part of the present invention. In accordance with thepresent invention, there is provided on the roller skate a brake device54 which, in the present instance, comprises a brake member 56 and abrake applicator S8. The member 56 may be a plate of any suitable brakematerial, in this instance wood, which is notched at both ends, as at60and 62, to provide front and rear prongs 64 and 66 which bear againstthe tops of the front and rear wheels 14 and 16, respectively, whileclearing the respective wheel mounts 26 and 28 (Fig. 2). The rear notch62 in the brake member 56 is of sufficient depth to clear the bolts 22so as to permit ready extension or contraction of the foot rest 12 ofthe roller skate without obstruction from the brake member.

The brake applicator 58 is a screw which may be manipulated to force theprongs of the brake member 56 into braking engagement with the front andrear wheels 14 and 16. In the present instance, the brake member 56 andapplicator screw 58 form a separate unit which may be installed on andremoved from a conventional roller skate. To this end, the brake member56 may he slid between the wheel mounts 26 and 28, and the applicatorscrew 58, which in this instance extends through the wooden brake member56 without being in threaded engagement therewith, receives a nut 70 ofa conventional self-locking type (Figs. 2 and 3). If the brake member56..were madeofvmetal, the applicator screw 58. couldtbe threadeddirectly into the brake member and the nut 70 could be dispensed with.In applying the brake device 54' after its installation on the skate,the applicator screw 58 is turned at its wingend 72" until the end ofthe screw bears against the foot rest 12'. On continued turning of theapplicator screw 58, the nut 70-will be backed against the brake member56, thereby forcing the prongs 64' and 66' of the latter into brakingengagement with the front and rear wheels 14 and 16, respectively, ofthe skate. The end of the applicator screw 58 bears in this instanceagainst the toe plate 18-of the foot rest 12- (Fig. 3), and extendsthrough the elongated slot 74' which is provided in the heel plate 20for cooperation with. the boltsv 22 in the toe plate 18 to permitlongitudinal extension or contractor of the skate.

The applicator screw 58 may be tightened to such an extent that thebrake member 56 is considerably bent against the front and rear wheels14 and 16 and substantially locks the same against free-Wheeling even ifa youngster on the skate should push the latter forward on the ground.In this respect, skates with the instant brake device 54- may be givenwithout hesitation to youngsters who heretofore were considered tooyoung to indulge in the fascinating, though hazardous, pastime of rollerskating, for the instant brake device may be adjusted to the extentwhere the wheels of the skate will. hardly turn, if at all, so as topreclude all dangers involved in the use of free-wheeling skates.

While roller skates with the instant brake device are thus ideallysuited to permit youngsters, heretofore considered too young to indulgein roller skating, safely to indulge in this sport, they are equallywell suited for youngsters of all ages with little or no skatingexperience safely to learn to skate naturally by being gradually exposedto the hazards from free-wheeling rollers as they gain more and moreexperience in and control over riding roller skates. Thus, the instantbrake device may initially be applied so as to lock or nearly lock thewheelsagainst free-wheeling until a youngster gets the feel of rollerskates and learns to balance himself instinctively when the skates rollon the ground even very slowly. The brake device may then be adjustedfrom time to time to release the wheels more and more as the youngsterpasses through progressively advanced stages in his training on rollerskates until the day when he has sufiicient control and experience toride free-wheeling skates safely, at which time the instant brake devicemay be removed from the skates for the future natural free-wheeling use.of the same. Roller skates provided with the instant brake device aresuitable for safely training a youngster not only for ordinary rollerskating, but also for fancy or trick skating if the youngster or even agrown-up has the desire and ambition to learn the more advancedvarieties of roller skating' The instant brake device is of extremelysimple construction and lends itself to eflicient and exceedinglyinexpensive mass production. The preferred form of the instant brakedevice as an accessory which is readily attachable to and detachablefrom. Conventional roller skates is of considerable advantage, in thatthe same may be purchased as inexpensive units by the public andattached to conventional roller skates until a youngster becomes anaccomplished skater, whereupon these brake units may be discarded orgiven away to some other youngster with the thought that they were wellworth their low purchase price in view of the protection that had beenafforded by them in the course of learning to roller skate.

Figs. 4 and show a modified brake device 80 applied to the rear wheels16 only'of a conventional roller skate. This modified brake device 30,which is alsoshown in perspective in Fig. 6, comprises a ,r e1a t ivel;yrigid brake plate or member 82 of any suitable brake material, in

4 this instance wood, and a brake applicator 84. The brake member. 82;.is. in. ts. nstalled nnditinn. alerted. t9- e inclined to the foot rest12, and to bear with one end against the customary down-turned flanges86 on the heel plate 20, and with an opposite end length thereof againstthe rear wheels 16. To provide substantial contact areas between thebrake member 82 and the rear wheels 16, the former is, provided at itslower end with opposite curved wells 86 and 88in whichthe peripheries ofthe respective rear wheels 16 fit. The brake applicator 84 is, in thisinstance, irhthe, for-m of. a. rod 90 having one end formed into alaterally extending eye 92 and having its other end threaded forthereception. of a wing nut 94. The. rod 90.,extendsv through the brakemember 82 and, in the installed condition of the brake device 80, restsagainst the base portion 34 of the bracket 30 of the rear wheel mount28, with the laterally extending eye 92 abutting the side flange 36 ofthe bracket 30. In assembling the instant-modified brake device with theroller skate, the eye=92 of the rodispassedbetween the opposite legs 32of the U-shaped bracket- 30 and then broughtagainst: the side flange 36on the-latter, Where-.

upon the brake member 82* is drawn against theside flanges 86 on theheelplate 1 20- and against the. peripheries of the rear wheels 16 onappropriately turning the wingnut 94 on the threaded end of the rod 9.0.The brake. member SZ-Will be forcedinto-braking; engagementwith therearwheels 16 with a force depending; onthe extent of tightening thewing nut 94, as willbereadily understood. Accordingly, the-instantmodified brakedevice-80 hasv all the advantages. ofthe previouslydescribed brakedevice 54,- andfunctionally distinguishes from the latterby being applicable to the rear wheelsonly ofa conventional rollerskate.

Figs. 7 and 8 show further modified brake devices which are applicablein pairs either to the front wheels or the rear wheels, or both, of aconventional roller skate. In this instance, a pair of these modifiedbrake devices'100 is shown appliedto the rear wheels 16 of arollerskate. These brake devices 100 are identical and each consists of a merewasher 1-02 which isofgeneral dish-shape and made preferably fromslightly springy metal. The hub 104 of each. washer 102 iscentrallyapertured and passed over the adjacent threaded end 106 of the fixedrear axle 24, and-is suitably splined' thereto as at 108 so as to benon-rotatable, but axially movable, on the adjacent axle end 106. Thepair of washers 1.02 are on the outside of the customarytnuts 110 whichholdthe inner races 112-for the anti-friction wheel bearings 114 on theaxle 24. against the axle-socket 48- of the rear wheel mount 28 (Fig.8). Each washer 102 is preferably formedto provide fingers 116 whichradiate from the hub 104 and engage the outer side of the adjacent wheel16. Each washer 102- is forced with its fingers 116 into brakingengagement with its wheel 16 by a nut 118 on the adjacent. axle end 106.Obviously, the washers 102 will be forced into braking engagement withthe adjacent wheels 16 with forces that depend on the extent oftightening the respective nuts 118:

Usually, the axles of conventionalroller. skates extend sutficientlybeyond the customary end nuts 110 thereon to permit the installation ofthe instant brake washers 102- and brake applicator nuts 118,- afterfirst cutting slots in the axle ends for the splined reception of thewashers 102. If the cutting of slots in the axle ends. of existingroller skates should'be a task too diflicultfor some, recourse may behad to two brake applicator; nuts 118- on each axle end betweenwhichabrakewasher 102 maybe clamped against rotationon the axle end,,or.each brake washer 102, may be permanently joined, asuby welding, forinstance, to its; nut 118 and-an additional lock nut used to preventunauthorized turning of the nut118, on its respective axle end 106. i

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways han ho h re nset for h. thout daw ngrom th'e spirit and essential characteristics ofthe invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and allchanges coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appendedclaims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. In a roller skate having a foot rest and two pairs of rotary frontand rear wheels on opposite sides of depending front and rear mounts,respectively, on the foot rest, the combination of a plate-like brakemember interposed between the foot rest and the adjacent peripheries ofsaid wheels, said member having opposite forked ends bearing against theperipheries of the wheels of said pairs, respectively; and means forcingsaid forked ends of the brake member at all times into brakingengagement with the peripheries of the wheels of the respective pairs,thereby substantially preventing free-rolling of the skate on the groundwhen all Wheels rest thereon.

2. The combination in a roller skate as set forth in claim 1, in whichsaid means engages said brake member intermediate the opposite forkedends thereof and is manually operable to force the latter with avariable force into braking engagement with the peripheries of thewheels of the respective pairs.

3. The combination in a roller skate as set forth in claim 1, in whichsaid means comprises a manually turnable screw in threaded relation withsaid brake member intermediate the opposite forked ends thereof andbearing with one end against the foot rest, for forcing the oppositeforked ends of said brake member with a variable force into brakingengagement with the peripheries of the wheels of the respective pairs.

4. For use with a roller skate having a foot rest and two pairs ofrotary front and rear wheels on opposite sides of depending front andrear mounts, respectively, on the foot rest, an attachable anddetachable brake device comprising a plate-like brake member havingopposite forked ends of suflicient lengths to permit sliding said brakemember intermediate the foot rest and wheels and resting said oppositeforked ends against the adjacent peripheries of the wheels of saidpairs, respectively, with clearance from the adjacent mounts,respectively; and a manually turnable screw in threaded relation withsaid brake member intermediate the opposite forked ends thereof andadapted to bear with one end against the foot rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS333,751 Harris, J1. Jan. 5, 1886 621,277 Peckham Mar. 14,1899 1,225,517Smith May 8, 1917 1,574,517 Rohdiek Feb. 23, 1926 1,780,172 Cramer Nov.4, 1930 1,834,258 Silen Dec. 1, 1931 2,027,487 Means Jan. 14, 19362,179,592 Goettie Nov. 14, 1939

